AHMEDABAD/SHIMLA: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was today well on the road to performing a hat-trick raising the prospects of becoming BJP's prime ministerial candidate while Congress ousted the saffron party from power in Himachal Pradesh.

The BJP was leading in 95 seats after winning 23 of the 182 seats in Gujarat while Congress was ahead in 50 after winning eight.

Former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel's GPP on which the Congress hoped to defeat Modi fared very badly. The NCP and JDU were leading in one seat each.

The BJP looked set to marginally improve on its tally of 117 in the 2007 elections but may fall short of a two-third majority figure of 122. The Congress had won 59 in the last elections.

However, the BJP was set for a defeat in Himachal Pradesh, a state which has stuck to its habit of voting out an incumbent government.

The Congress, which put up a spirited campaign under former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, is all set to return to power in the hill state.

The party has already won 29 seats and was leading in seven seats in the 68-member Assembly. BJP has won 16 seats and was leading in 10. 'Others' led in two having won four. Congress had won 23 seats and BJP 41 in the 2007 polls.

The BJP's hat-trick in retaining power in Gujarat added grist to political mill speculating on Modi becoming the party's PM candidate in the next Lok Sabha elections.

BJP MP Smriti Irani openly declared that Modi is her Prime Ministerial candidate. However, the party was cautious to comment on the issue. Suspended MP Ram Jethmalani said that the victore has "definitely" strengthened Modi's contention for being the PM candidate.